Page 127 - Cultural Studies of Science Education

104 K. Love et al.

As we consider and explore the strengths and weaknesses that different contexts
like urban, suburban, and rural might involve for teachers and teacher educators, we
need to keep a constant eye on the horizon line of a place-based (science) education.
That horizon line may well be where “thick description” and community-based
involvement occur. Having those horizons as the targets may move education as a
whole in ways that bring about higher rates of literacy in many different content
areas including science and environmental education because of their connectedness
to a “real world.” As we continue in our efforts to work toward sustainability both
ecologically and socially, we will need to focus our attentions on understanding
relationships and tensions more clearly and how important it is to get out of the
classroom and in natural and social communities.

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